Apparatus for turning wood heels



Feb. 22, 1949. J. P. UIRK ET AL APPARATUS FOR TURNING WOOD HEELS Filed Dec. 29, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTORS JUSTIN P. QUIRK LUDWIG G. P. HAFNER XM ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 194-9. J, P QUlRK ET AL 2,462,673

APPARATUS FOR TURNING WOOD HEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1947 INVENTORS JUSTIN P. QUIRK LUDWIG G. P. HAFNER BYWI ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UN I TED STATES PA TENT 6 F F 2,462,673, APPARATUS FOR TURNIEIG WooDfnEiiIi s Justin P. Quirk; and Ludwig G. P. nafnemest:

Louis, Rio, assigners to United d Heel Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of;

Belaware Appiication December 29, 1947; sen-a1 N65 794,21?"

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for'turning shoe heels.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus capable of turning a heel blank automatically to shape the heel and, then after the heel is shaped, to perform a subsequent operation, such as grading, upon the heel.

Other objects and advantages'will be apparent from the following description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. l is an elevational view of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view'on line 2-2, Fig.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, diagrammatic in character;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a cutter, heel blank support and some mechanism in elevation, to illustrate the method herein-described;

5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 taken at a point 90 removedfrom Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing the relationship of the elements of a different phase in the operation.

Acoridensed description of some of the salient points and important characteristics of the apparatus at once will assist in understanding the laterdetailed description.

The specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings includes a wood heel turning machine arranged and adapted to turn a heel blank B While in engagement with a high speed rotating cutter ii. A seat 52 for the blank E is-mounted on the upper end of a shaft l3, the shaft being driven through a transmission system by a motor Id. A clamp i5 is arranged and adapted to engage the top of the blank B coaxialwith the seat l2 to hold the blank on the seat While it is being turned and shaped by the cutter I I.

A second tool comprising a grading saw I6 is carried by a pivotal support l'l to move into operative position to grade the blank after it has been turned and shaped by the cutter H. A spring pressed dog i8 is also carried by the support I? and is positioned and arranged to engage a tooled surface of the heel blank and thereby hold the blank on its seat l2.

A cam 59 secured to and rotating with the shaft [3 is "constructed and arranged to release the clamp hiat a predetermined time immediately after-the 'heel'has been shaped by the cutter ll. A-second cam 28, driven also by the motor M and therforeintimed relationship to the cam l9, has

a o lower ,andsconneizted mechanism to move the suppo t if, and with it thesaw 3,,3Il 5dp |8:to operative positions. i

It. e, n e sioodh her o fl hat ai. nt blank B has been turned and shaped by the, utter; th da a toma ca y,r lease and he e seem .1 i W as .m r n he dea s. into holding position against a tooledrsurfa ce j the blank and' to br ing the' support HI into positiofh for gradingjthe blank, I

ne ma nesia; for turn" I us? trated substantially in bnr'jc nd rig pp c tion} Serial No. 728339; filed Hebrilfajiy '14, 1941, (F s ,rznezs rtns a, li'cations r, 1941 endedfto be'followedinoperatiiig the machinfl N H H The turning machine asabase z gmouna two vertical gibs 'ZZiriWhioh" arrame' slides, This frame su ports Grac e; 21s liis mounted" by a'horizontal'piv'otf 25 bfithe ufifief'end of the rheciam i 5; is arra geayaiiq dapted to at: gage h t O Fh b k l fia al With h si ar? i2 and the sh'aft' i 31 It"include sja shaft or rodj 29 mounted in a slide or boreon the cradle with an overhanging arm fidat' its topandja c engagingjarm 3 at its bottomt The clam des e n e a dc 3 IP vQt i lv u pead iromth'e arm 30. The'loi vei arml31 follows circular cam supported on and turninigi wifthjt'he shaft 13; The clamp is urged to'open position by? a coil spring- 3i about the rod'tfi and is movedto'- closed or clampingpositi'on'bythfcamfit.

A amshaft are supbortedonandj'oiirnalld in the frame" '22. This shaft'is driven t rough," a Wheel sedrit e shaft and a worm er on a shaft 3S, whiclris connected coaiiia 'lly with the" shaft" of the motor 14. p n v y The shaftis; on which the blankB i moii'rit qgf,

and also a cradle-rocking cam 56, and cutter shifting cam 41. The cradle-rocking cam 46 has contact with a follower A8 in the form'of an arm rigid with and depending from the cradle 24. A follower and mechanism, not shown, but illustrated and described in detail in our copending application, Serial No; 728,430, is constructed and arranged to shift the cutter it toward and away from the blank B.

A lift cam 69, annular in form, is mounted on a base of the vertical gibs 22 and surrounds the cam shaft 35. This shaft has rigidly secured to it and arranged to rotate therewith a normally extending roller shaft 53, upon which is mounted a lift cam roller in contact with the lift cam 49. Thus, as the cam shaft 35 rotates, the shaft 35, and with it the frame 23, will be lifted or lowered corresponding to the contour of the lift cam 49.

It may now be understood that as the cam shaft 35 is rotated, the necessary heel shaping movements are imparted to the blank B and the cutter H, while the blank B is mounted on and turned by the shaft l3, the shafts l3 and 35 being rotated in synchronism by a single source of power, the motor I4. These heel shaping movements include: (a) relative shifting between the blank and the cutter, accomplished by and depending upon the contour of the cam 41; (b) change in inclination of the blank relative to the cutter, accomplished by rocking the cradle 24 through action of the cam 46; and (c) changing the vertical position of the blank relative to the cutter, accomplished by lifting the frame 23 through the action of the cam 49. l

The lower cam 20, secured to the cam shaf 35 is arranged and adapted to move the support IT for the second tool, or grading saw l6, into operative position after the heel blank B has been shaped by the cutter H. The details of construction of this second tool, its support and associated mechanism will now be described.

The support I! rests on a hollow pedestal 66, through which extends a shaft 6!, rigidly connected to the support I! at its upper end and having a gear 62 at its lower extremity by which it is moved or controlled by the cam '20. gear 62 is engaged by a rack 63 slidably supported in a fixture 64 on the lower side of the base 2 I. roller 65 in contact with the cam 20. The shaft BI is biased with relation to the fixed pedestal 60, through which it extends, by a spring 66, to an operative position.

It may now be understood that the cam 23 is so shaped as to present a low surface to the roller 65 after the blank B has been shaped by the cutter H, thus permitting the spring 66 to bias the shaft El so as to rotate the support I! toward a position (as shown in full lines, Fig. 3) in which the saw I6 is in engagement with the blank B. After the functions of the saw have been completed, while the mechanism including the cam shaft 35 continues to rotate, the cam 20 moves the rack 63 to rotate the shaft GI and tool support H to inoperative positions (as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3);

The frame of thesupport I] journals a lack screw 61 operable by a hand wheel '68. A fol- The The rack 63 carries at one end a cam lower 69 is threaded on the screw 61 and is rigid with a block 16. A bracket H issecured to the block ill by a pivot pin 12, so that the inclination of the bracket and its supported devices may be adjusted. The bracket It carries a motor H While a second bracket 13, rigid with the frame of the motor 72*, supports a spindle I4 for the saw I6, the spindle being driven through a belt by the motor 12 The bracket 13 carries an arm 25 to support the spring pressed dog l8.

The dog I8 is a roller mounted on the end of 'a tubular member 16, which telescopes a rod 11, pinned rigidly to the supporting arm 15. A spiral spring 18 in the tubular member 16 is arranged and adapted to urge that member to an extended position.

In the preceding description, the method of operation has been mentioned. It is appropriate, nevertheless, to give a connected description of the operation. It may be understood at the outset that the device may be and preferably is operated to practice the method described and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 779,400. That is to say, the blank B is turned continuously in one direction for the major portion of one revolution against the cutter I I, while heel shaping movements are imparted to the blank, to completely shape the heel.

Assuming the device is in starting or loading position, the motor 14 will be stopped, or it may be disconnected by a clutch. The cam I 9 will be in position to release the clamp l5, through the action of its spring 34 so that the engaging dog 32 will be in elevated position, to permit the blank to be placed upon the seat l2. .The operation of the machine may then be started and the shafts l3 and 35 will begin turning.

The cam I9 is so shaped as to cause the dog 32 to descend immediately upon the blank to clamp it in position. The cam 41, by mechanism not shown, will move the cutter toward and into cutting engagement with the blank, and also shift the cutter during cutting engagement to give shape to the blank. The cam 46 will cause the cradle 24 to rock, and the cam 49 will cause vertical adjustment of the frame 23. Thus, the necessary heel shaping movements will be imparted to the blank while it is in engagement with the cutter ll. I

The turning of the heel'will be completed in I less than one revolution, or approximately 270. During the remaining portion of the revolution,

the second tool is made to complete its functions.

ihe cam 20 is shaped to permit the spring 66 to swing the support I! and the saw l6, as well as the engaging dog 18 into operative position, as soon as the heel has been turned. The earn I9 is shaped to release the clamp [5 at substantially the same time, or as soon as the dog l8 has moved into firm engagement with the blank B. The dog or roller l8 remains in firm contact with a tooled surface on the blank B while the saw it is grading the blank. Because the blank is held by this means, the clamp l5 may be released to permit the operation of the saw. This is important since it would be impractical to grade the heel while held by the clamp.

The operation of the saw will have been completed by the time the blank B has been turned one complete revolution, or to the starting position. W The machine can then be stoppedmanually by stopping the motor, or automatic means.

it, or-to interrupt movement for a predetermined period,

The second or auxiliary tool has been illustrated as a grading saw, but the invention may be applied with appropriate modifications to other tools such as a paneling tool. The invention has been shown as embodied in a machine adapted for turning a blank against a high speed cutter. It may be understood, nevertheless, that the primary turning may be in connection with another tool such as a sander, as shown and described in our copending application, Serial No. 789,454.

The machine described above may preferably be operated to practice a novel method of turning wood heels, as geographically shown in Figs. 4, 5. and 6, and described below.

The blank B is turned about a single or constant. axis, this axis coinciding with the axis of the completed heel and perpendicular to the tread thereof. The relative position of the blank, while being turned on this axis is shifted, both to bring the blank into and out of engagement with the cutter, but also to give the blank shaping movements. Also, while the blank is in engagement with the cutter, other heel shaping movements are imparted to the blank without shifting the axis of the blank about which it is rotated. It is moved up and down approximately along its axis, and it is tilted, or its axis is tilted.

This method results in many advantages. By using this method it is much easier to arrange guides or cams for effecting the necessary heel shaping movements, than where, as in previous practice, the axis of turning. shifted considerably within the blank during the turning operation. Eurthermore, it is much easier to tool for subsequent operations on the heel.

It will be obvious that, while the apparatus particularly described herein, may be arranged to turn the blank according to this method, this is preferableonly and not necessary. I will also be obvious that machines or tools of widely different characteristics from the herein described apparatus may be employed for practicing the method.

Some further discussion of the method may be helpful in understanding it and practicing it. In a particular heel to be produced the "wedge of the heel is known, that is, the inclination of the heel seat relative to the tread. The angle of that wedge is then used as the angle of the seat 12, or rather the angle at which the seat i2 meets a plane or line radial or perpendicular to the axis A of the heel and a shaft I3 by which the heel blank B is turned. It will be noted that the saw 16, as it grades the blank and thereby forms the tread of the heel, cuts perpendicular to the axis A.

In the apparatus shown, the relative movements between the blank and cutter is accomplished by shifting the cutter, although this may be accomplished obviously by shifting the blank. Different apparatus for doing this both ways is disclosed in our copending application, Serial No. 728,430.

The blank is moved up and down, by the apparatus herein disclosed, by shifting the frame 23 which carries the blank B. This is approximately along the axis of the blank, but not exactly so, because the cradle 24, which carries the turning shaft [3 may be and is rocked on the frame to produce another heel shaping movement.

Various changes may be made in details of con- (iii structiqn nd: o eration. Wi hin; the scene; of: the

ppen ed l ms, Wit ut departing: fromthe, 111

vention. Additions improvements may be; made while retaining the invention; and its bene, fits, and parts of the inventionmay-be usedwithr. out the whole.

We claim:

1. In a wood heel turning machine, havingv a. tool for shaping a heel while itsbiank, rotated; a jack for holding the heel blank, and means forrotating the jack, the combination comprising. a cam driven by saidmeans, a second tool. for

operating onsaidblank, and mechanism under.-

contrclof saidcam. for moving the second tool into engagement with the, blank.

2. In a wood heel turning machine, having a tool for shaping a heel while its blank is rotated; a jack for holding the heel blank including a. seat.

i which the blank. is mounted and areleasable mp for holding the blank on the seat; and

b til means, mechanism under the control of am for moving the second tool into engages.

and mechanism underthe control of said. 1d camforreleasing said clamp.

3. In a wood heel: turning machine, havinga toci for shaping a heel while itsblank is rotated, a jack for holding the heel blank including aseat upon which the blank is mounted and a releasable...

clamp for holding the blank on the seat, anddriv-i ing means for rotating theseatandthereby-thei blank, the combination, comprising a. spring pressed dog arranged and adapted to engagea.

tooled surface of the heel blank and hold the-blank; on the seat, a plurality of cams driven by said-driv ing means and thereby in fixed; relationship with, said driving meansand one with the other,- mac-11 anism under the control of one of said cams fol: releasing said clamp, and mechanism under, the control of another of said cams. formovingsaid;

dog into position to engage the heel. blank and; thereby hold it on its seat whenvthasaid clamp is dog arranged and adapted to engage a tooled surface of the heel blank and hold the blank on the seat, a plurality of cams driven by said driving means and thereby in fixed relationship with said driving means and one with the other, mechanism under the control of one of said cams for releasing said clamp, and mechanism under the control of another of said cams for moving the second tool and the dog into operative position relative to the blank; whereby after the blank is turned and shaped by the first tool, the jack clamp is released, the dog is brought into holding position against a tooled surface of the blank, and the second tool is brought into position for operation on the blank.

5. In a wood heel turning machine, having a tool for shaping a heel while its blank is rotated, a seat upon which the blank is mounted, and driving means for rotating the seat and thereby the blank, the combination comprising a clamp arranged and adapted to engage the top of the a ,ing means for rotating the sea;- andxtherebm the blank, the combination comprising a secondtool for operating on said blank, a; cam driven.

t with the blank, a second cam driven by said blank coaxial with seat and thereby hold the blank on the seat while the blank is being turned and shaped by said tool, a second tool for operating on said blank, a pivoted support for said second tool, a spring pressed dog fixed to said support and arranged and adapted to engage a tooled surface of the heel blank and hold the blank on the seat, a plurality of cams driven by said driving means and thereby in fixed relationship with said driving means and one with the other, mechanism under the control of one of said cams for releasing said clamp, and mechanism under the control of another of said cams for rotating said tool support; whereby after the blank is turned and shaped by the first tool, the clamp is released, and the tool support is swung to bring the dog into holding position against a tooled surface of the blank and to bring the second tool into position for operation on the shaped blank.

6. In a wood heel turning machine, having a tool for shaping a heel while its blank is rotated, a jack for holding the heel blank, and means for rotating the jack, the combination comprising a second tool for operating on said blank, a pivoted support for said second tool, a cam driven by said driving means, and mechanism under the control of said cam for rotating said tool support; the tool support being constructed and arranged to swing said second tool into and out of engagement with the heel blank, whereby after the blank is turned and shaped by the first tool, the tool support is swung to bring the second tool into engagement with the blank for a subsequent operation by said second tool.

'7. In a wood heel turning machine, having a high speed cutter for shaping a heel while its blank is rotated, a seat upon which the blank is mounted, and driving means for rotating the seat and thereby the blank, the combination comprising a clamp arranged and adapted to engage the top of the blank coaxial with the seat and thereby hold the blank on the seat while the blank is being turned and shaped by said cutter, a grading saw, a movable support for said saw arranged and adapted to move the saw into proper position to giad the blank onsaid seat, a'sprin'g' pressed dog arranged and adapted to engage a tooled surface of the heel blank and hold the blank on the seat, and mechanism under the control of said driving means constructed and adapted to release said clamp, after the blank has been turned and shaped by said cutter, and mechanism under the control of said driving means to move the support to bring the saw into cutting position for grading the shaped blank, and to move the dog into holding position against the tooled surface of the blank to hold the shaped blank in position on the seat while it isbeing graded as aforesaid.

8. In a wood heel turning machine, having a tool for shaping a heel while its blank is rotated, a jack for holding the heel blank, and means for rotating the jack, the combination comprising cams associated with the rotating means for giving relative shaping movements between the jack and tool, a second tool for operating on said blank, another cam driven by said rotating means,

and mechanism under the control of said last mentioned cam for moving the second tool into engagement with the shaped blank; the cam being constructed and arranged to cause the shaping of the heel by the first tool from breast edge to breast edge, during a portion of a revolution of the blank, and then to bring the second tool into engagement with the shaped blank for its operation during the remaining part of said revolution.

' JUSTIN P. QUIIRK.

LUDWIG G. P. HAFNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,026,040 Howe Dec. 31, 1935 2,038,534 Bray Apr. 28, 1936 2,045,390 Howe June 23, 1936 2,151,875 Sosa Mar. 28, 1939 

